Sick with Him IchiRuki
by Levy the Chibi
Summary: This story is based off of a roleplay with a friend of mine. Told from Rukia's POV


"Do you need anything?" He asked me as he replaced the cloth on my forehead.

"Y-yeah ..I ll be alright." I replied. Ichigo smiled down at me

"That's good!" I could feel my face blush red when he smiled.

"I'll be downstairs," He said as he patted my hair out of my face, "Call if you need anything, alright?" I nodded and he left. As I lied there in his bed, I thought about telling the strawberry about my feelings toward him. I rolled over with a small sigh, realizing that he would be in danger if we started dating. A small tear fell across my face.

How did this start? I said to myself. Me, in his bed, with him taking care of me? How did that happen? I then remembered the events to the previous day. How it all started with a single cough.

******

As I sat against the door to Ichigo's closet, I began to feel a little light headed. It seemed to me that Ichigo hadn't noticed.

'Good.' I thought. I couldn't have the strawberry worrying about me. As I reached for a tissue from the box right beside me, I let out a small, hoarse cough. He glanced up from his book.

"You okay?" He asked. I could hear the concern in his voice.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" I said as I faked a smile, "What makes you think im not okay?"

"First of all, your face is a bit red and you look totally exhausted. Second, that cough just now didn't sound good at all." He pointed out. It was all true, but I couldn't worry him.

"Sure, sure..." I yawned as I returned to my drawing.

"And finally!" He said abruptly as I set my marker on the paper, "Your drawing looks like crap!" I wanted to throw the marker cap at him, but I couldn't find the strength to do so. I just sighed and slumped down even further against the closet.

"Ah-ha!" Ichigo got off his bed and walked over to me. He crouched down to look at me in the eyes.

"What?" I said, giving him a weak glare.

"You are sick!" Ichigo said.

"What makes you say that?" I replied.

"You didn't throw anything at me or hit me when I insulted your art." He smirked.

"Whatever..." I sighed. Ichigo pouted slightly and placed a hand on my head. My eyes widened slightly but then they closed because his cool hand felt really nice.

"You feel warm..." The strawberry stood up, "Stay there!" He ran out of the room. I watched him leave and when the door shut, I fell onto my side. My body felt weak and I was trembling slightly. My body felt hot, and yet I was very cold. I could feel the sweat roll down my back, neck and across my face. Everything I saw was turning fuzzy as I heard the door open.

"Rukia!" I heard someone run across the floor and over to my limp body.

"See! You are sick!" Ichigo said as he picked me up. I felt my body fall limp in his arms and my head rested against his chest. He pulled the covers away from his bed and gently laid me down. My breathing was a bit heavy at this point as he gently placed the covers over my body.

"Stay here, Rukia. Dad hasn't restocked the medicine yet, so I'm going to run to the store to get you some." He grabbed his coat off the back of his desk chair, "I'll have Yuzu take care of you until I get back." He ran out of the room before I could say anything to stop the strawberry. Yuzu walked in moments later. She was carrying my pajamas in her arms. She said that Ichigo had told her to get me into a change of clothes, seeing as how I was sweating quite a bit and my clothes were damp. Once my clothes were changed, I laid back down and Yuzu placed a cold cloth on my forehead. Thunder rumbled outside and it started to rain. Yuzu and I talked quietly as we awaited Ichigo's return.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo yelled as he stumbled into the house. He charged up the stairs and burst through the door. He was panting as water dripped from his body onto the wood floor. He was soaked to the bone.

"Yuzu, you can go now." He said. Yuzu nodded, smiled at me and left.

"I went to see Mr. Hat-n'-Clogs. He gave me this medicine that he says will clear your systerm." The strawberry said as he walked over to me. Reaching his hand over to my head, he moved the cloth out of the way and placed his wet hand there.

"You're so warm....You should take the medicine. He said that it doesn't take long to start working." He told me. He helped me sit up and I could feel my heart begin to race. He took the small bottle out of the paper bag it was in. He poured the right amount onto a spoon.

"Open your mouth," I did as he said and opened my mouth. He placed the bottom of the spoon on my tongue. It tasted like mango. I shut my mouth on the spoon and swallowed the medicine once Ichigo had taken out the spoon.

"How is it?" The strawberry asked as I sipped the water he handed me.

"Tastes like mango..." I replied. I sat there, drinking my water. After a few minutes, my stomach began to turn.

"Ichigo....What did Kisuke mean by 'Clears your system'!?" I gagged.

"Well, he said that there are two ways for it.....to.....clear...." Ichigo finally realized what Urahara meant as I put a hand over my mouth.

"B-Bucket! I got to get a bucket!" Ichigo scrambled out of the room. I got out of his bed and stumbled down the hall to the bathroom. As I heard Ichigo run back up the stairs, I got sick in the toilet.

"W-well....I guess I won't need this..." He said as he entered the bathroom, holding a bucket. I just responded with a groan as I rested my forehead on the toilet seat. Ichigo came over to me and rubbed my back as I threw up again. He could feel the tension and knots all along my back and shoulders.

"After you've rested for a little while, I'll give you a massage. You have a lot of tension in your back." The strawberry said. I just groaned. Ichigo smiled softly.

"I'm sorry. I was stupid not to realize what he meant before I gave it to you." He said. I could hear the pain and sadness in his voice. I weakly looked at the strawberry I loved and placed my shaking hand on his.

"I.....I'll be....alright...." I was sure that the strawberry heard the weakness in my voice. He looked at me softly as I turned my head to throw up again. After about 45 minutes, maybe an hour, of puking, I was finally done. I slumped onto the floor with a groan. I felt horrible. Ichigo picked me up and cradled me in his arms after I laid there for a moment.

"You shouldn't eat anything for a while," He said as he carried me down the hall and back to his room,"I called Urahara a little while ago and he said that liquids are alright. Providing they don't upset your stomach." I simply responded with a weak groan. The strawberry smiled softly as he placed me back in bed. He placed the cloth in the basin of ice water that remained from when Yuzu was caring for me. Lightning flashed as he wringed it out and placed it on my head.

"Get some sleep. You need to rest." I fell asleep as soon as he finished speaking. I wanted to hear his reassuring voice before slipping into a light sleep. I woke up a while later to a loud crash downstairs. No doubt that Karin had kicked Isshin into a wall as I heard him wail moments after the crash. I looked around weakly. Ichigo wasn't in the room. There was a glass of pale gold liquid and a note on the desk beside the bed. I reached up and took the note. I opened it as I took the glass into my other hand.

"Rukia, had some hollows to take care of. Here's some ginger ale. Sip it carefully. If you feel sick, there's a bucket by the bed. Call Yuzu if you need anything." I read the note over and over. He was so caring. It was no wonder that I loved that strawberry. I smiled softly and lightly sipped the ginger ale.

"This tastes good...." I said as I set the cup back down on his desk. I laid down, staring at the ceiling. Before I knew it, I had fell asleep again.

"Argh! Damnit!" said a voice. I opened my eyes to see Ichigo, sitting against his closet door, still in his shinigami form. He was covered with injuries.

"I-Ichigo!" I said with a start. I sat bolt up right and jumped out of bed. I staggered over to him and kneeled down beside the man I loved.

"Rukia......" He said as he looked me in the eyes. I knew he could see the concern that ran through them.

"You should get back in bed. You need your rest." He gently stroked my hair with a shaking hand.

"Your wounds need to be tended to!" I said. I had ignored what he said. I was so worried about the strawberry that I didn't care. I didn't care what happened to me. As long as he was okay. I began to to heal the cuts and gashes all along his arms and chest, blushing slightly at the sight of his muscles. After a little while, I collapsed across Ichigo's legs.

"O-Oi!" Ichigo said as he picked me up into his arms,"Rukia?!Are you okay?! Rukia!" I blinked open my eyes and looked at him weakly.

"I'm......I'm alright...." I said with a weak smile. He got back in his body and placed his hand on my forehead.

"Idiot! You are not alright!" He picked me up and laid me down on his bed. As soon as he did, I began to shake with chills. Ichigo sighed and sat down on the bed behind me. He pulled me into a hug. I blushed.

"You may have a fever, but you need to stay warm..." He said. He took the cold cloth from the basin, squeezed out the water with one hand and placed it against my forehead. I moaned lightly. It felt so nice. But it wasn't just the cold cloth that made me feel this way. I was being held by Ichigo while I sat there with a fever. Before long, the both of us were fast asleep.

******

"Oi, Rukia!" Ichigo said as he re-entered the room. I looked at him. It had been about a half hour since he had left to make his sandwhich.

"Hi...." I said with a soft smile. He smiled back at me. He walked over and gently placed a hand on my forehead. He sighed with relief.

"Your fever seems to have gone down." He smiled. I smiled back. Without warning though, his lips pressed against mine. My eyes widened and I blushed, but then I lowered my eyelids until they were closed completely. We stayed there, kissing for what seemed like hours.......days.........years....... I broke the kiss and looked at him. The strawberry brought me into a warm hug.

"Im so glad youre okay!" He said,"I......I love you!" I blushed like mad, but then returned the hug.

"I love you too."


End file.
